Without knowing quite what to expect I decided to give Initial D a try after it coming highly recommended by a friend. Seems that the last few anime I have chosen to watch have been based on recommendations but when someone things of a series so highly I can't help but give it a shot.


Knowing that Initial D was an older series I was prepared to face some questionable looking old-school animation and I was not wrong. In the early episodes there are some interesting stylistic choices in regards to the facial expressions. Not exactly what I have come to expect from the various anime styles out there. More than anything else I must admit that the mouths kind of bothered me. Fortunately this is only the case in the first season, with the series' overall quality improving significantly in the remaining seasons or "stages." No other visual aspects of note stood out, save perhaps that this was one of the first anime to implement the combination of traditionally drawn cells and CGI.


Having gotten only a few episodes into the series I quickly realized that I was getting hooked, and fast. The story is very strong and the way that the characters get into the technical side of street racing kept me interested. In a way, the first season was perhaps also the best because most of the character growth happened within those episodes. Later stages continued to get more and more technical and battle focused, with character development eventually becoming secondary. Still, the Extra Stage OVAs did try to make up for this by focusing on character relationships.


While the introduction of protagonist Takumi as the clueless and inexperienced protege, though genius behind the wheel, was a brilliant hook for starting Initial D off, the technical minutiae and drawn-out racing battles eventually became repetitive as the series drew to a close. Not to mention that this anime lacks an actual climax and ending. Maybe that's because each battle is a climax in itself. It would have been nice to see the completion of "Project D" as the proper ending of the series but perhaps audiences had lost interest at that point.


Personally I would have loved to see more development in the romantic relationships between many of the characters instead of breaking everybody up and trying to ingrain the notion of "the lonely driver" into the viewer's mind. I also would like to have back the couple of hours spent watching the live action movie. All the characters were so different by having the production be Chinese that I had a hard time enjoying the film after spending so many episodes with the anime's characters. It's not that the actors didn't do a good job but rather that the characters were portrayed very differently.


So here I am again. Another anime series that I enjoyed quite a lot and can't seem to stop complaining about. This tends to happen quite often for some reason and maybe I just don't like seeing so much potential not being reached. When it comes down to it, I really had a lot of fun with Initial D and would recommend it to anyone with even a small interest in automotive sport. Not only is it entertaining but it's also informative and has made me pay more attention to my driving technique. Oh, and now I want to own a late '80s sports car. Probably a Subaru XT6.  Go figure.

In an effort to try and still keep somewhat informed of what's what in the anime world I one day came across an article on Otaku2 where Sato Dai, storywriter for some of the best series out there, voiced his discontentment with contemporary anime.  Can't say I haven't done the same on occasion, reminiscing about days-gone-by when the likes of Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell, and Lain were the big titles for an audience interested in substance.  What caught my interest in particular was Sato's mention of Eureka Seven having been dismissed in it's day as an Evangelion clone.


Not the best quality video, but probably the best trailer out there.
Having posted about NGE here in the past, as it compares to Lain, I couldn't resist digging up Eureka Seven to see what all the fuss was about.  A friend's mention of Eureka being his favorite anime nudged me further in that direction.  The initial similarities between Evangelion and Eureka are pretty obvious but they are mostly superficial.  The two series employ some genre-specific conventions but each has a very different feel to it.


While I can see how Eureka could be dismissed as just another mecha anime in the post-Evangelion days, it is less dark much of the time and ultimately resolves to have a more amicable outcome for its characters.  Now, I'm not going to go into the nitty gritty details of what happens in the series because you should just watch it but I definitely enjoyed Eureka thoroughly.  It may not have quite the psychological depth of NGE, nor does it have to.  The cast tends to be more archetypal and draws on our basic desires and ambitions with a healthy dose of romance thrown in.


The thing that I probably enjoyed most of all is that it was such a well executed series.  Within its fifty episodes you will find a great deal of character development in a steady progression.  It's well paced, provides plenty of tension, and an equal amount of resolution.  The animation is solid throughout and the last episode even kicks it up a notch with especially well done cells for key scenes.  When it comes to how Eureka wraps up it has Evangelion beat.  Not that it would take much to improve on Evangelion's original series ending, mind you.  Even so, Eureka delivers a great climax with plenty of heart-warming resolution to leave me feeling good about having invested my time in an anime of this length.

Over the last couple of months I have been watching the new-to-me anime series Welcome to the NHK, and loving it.  The story is the best part about the series and the premise is entertaining in an "it's funny 'cause it's true" kind of way.  Once you take away all the superficial content, some of which can be on the gimmicky side, NHK seems to actually present and address the real-life hikikomori issue.


In terms of visuals, you won't find anything spectacular here.  There are in fact some flaws in the animation which are pretty hard to miss.  The overall art style is mostly run-of-the-mill with a few episodes that clearly had some problems.  These tend to often be budgetary issues as I understand it, but it has been some time since I have seen such crudely done cells in a contemporary production (more screenshots here, via Tyler Junky).  Luckily those sequences tend to last for only a few minutes at a time, making them bearable.

Some of the content also seems too belabored.  This would fall under that "superficial content" category mentioned earlier.  The first and foremost is perhaps rather central, being the whole Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai angle and the series' namesake.  It is derived from a conspiracy theory which comes up time and time again as a metaphor that is truly developed all too late.  While the motif is presented many times as comical, main characters continue to reference conspiracies in a way that almost tried my patience.  I say almost because it wasn't a deal breaker by any means, yet it remains as a non-essential element that gets in the way of what is truly important.


The real substance in NHK is to be found in its character development.  Perhaps that is not saying much as this is true of any good story, especially those in episodic format.  It comes to mind here because I do wish the creators had put more time into it.  Less time on adding fantasy conspiracy theory sequences, and more time on the characters' actions and back stories.  The protagonist and supporting characters are relatively well developed but the female lead is left a mystery for far too long.  Creating suspense is one thing but providing little to no back story on Misaki's character for two-thirds of the series risks your audience loosing interest.

Pointing out the animation problems, filler content, and under-developed characters is starting to make NHK sound like an anime not worth watching after all.  That is far from the case here.  It's precisely because I liked it so much and care that I would have loved to see it done better.  These flaws are merely areas that could have been improved and pushed NHK toward greater success.  Besides, none of its problems stood out so much that I didn't want to continue watching.


When it comes down to it, this is a series that takes a good look at the otaku and hikikomori life-style and pokes a little fun at it.  Not in a judgmental way but with a little Otaku No Video flare.  It doesn't take itself too seriously and at the same time tries to present a message about the actual hikikomori phenomenon.  At one point NHK concludes that hikikomori exist because they are supported financially, only getting a job and re-joining the world when forced to support themselves.  Either way, once you get past the superfluous content and execution issues, Welcome to the NHK becomes a captivating story whose characters can speak to you and touch your little otaku heart.

In partnership with NASA, Virtual Heroes has created a streamlined simulation and serious game which recently saw release on Steam under the title Moonbase Alpha.  Clearly part of a marketing campaign, Moonbase Alpha comes to us free of charge and endeavors to enthuse and educate gamers about the space program, albeit in a fictionalized future setting.

In ‘Moonbase Alpha’, players will step into the role of an exploration team member and will be immersed in a futuristic 3D lunar settlement. Their mission is to restore critical systems and oxygen flow after a nearby meteor strike cripples a solar array and life support equipment. Available resources include an interactive command center, a lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and a fully stocked equipment shed. [via]

A couple of weeks ago Nikki and I decided that we would invest in a tablet.  No, even after all this time we still didn't have one!  Because of all the recent and soon to come moving, not to mention that we will be without a studio or much storage space for art for quite some time, it just makes sense to downsize a bit.  Going digital more allows us to be unrestricted by availability, or lack thereof, of materials, funds, and the aforementioned space.


After a bit of research I opted to go with the Wacom Bamboo Fun.  There was of course no doubt that I would be going with a Wacom, so it was just a matter of choosing the right model.  The Bamboo Fun features just the right amount of drawing area, has a sleek and low-profile design, and is also USB powered.  No batteries for me, thank you!  So far I haven't had a ton of time to practice with it yet, but I'm sure it will be loved and used well by us for many years to come.


During the little bit of time I have spent using the tablet, I have absolutely no complaints about it's functionality.  It's an excellent product, and I do love the design of it as well as the design of its packaging.  Overall, this is an excellently priced tablet.  I got mine for an awesome $150, which I do believe is still current over at Buydig.com (viewable in cart only), just in case some of you are thinking of grabbing one too.


The only thing I wish was a little better is the included software.  It came with Photoshop Elements 7 and Painter Essentials 4.  Neither of which are terribly great, but PE4 might get some use.  However, there is a great free and open-source program for digital painting called MyPaint that I do recommend grabbing for anyone with a tablet, and even those without who wish to do digital painting.

A little while ago I finally had a chance to try out the Braid demo. All thanks to Steam. Since I don't own a 360, I've been waiting for the Steam release for a while. At this point, Braid is nothing new really, and anything I may write about it feels like retreading whatever might have been said already.

Still, I feel I should at least make mention of the game. It's been a curiosity in the indie scene, which I also appear to be getting more and more out of touch with. What does keep Braid relevant to me perhaps are its artistic attributes. While the references to Mario are entertaining, the depths of Braid's story seem intriguing right now more for its psychologically constructed nature.

Meanwhile, the painted look appeals to me as well. As the character moves forward, each world moves with it in order to enhance the sense of time manipulation in Braid, which is a very nice feature. Add to that a wonderful musical score and pleasantly challenging puzzles, and this game seems right now to be full of promise to me.

I haven't had time to get the full version and play it through, but rest assured I intend to. I'm very curious about how the story will unfold, and whether the pleasant removal of death within the game will be enough to make the experience less masochistic than the afore referenced Mario Bros.

Since Wii Music's release there have been a lot of mixed opinions about this game. I personally am quite impressed with the innovative qualities of this title, and secretly conspired to buy it for Christmas. Every year I have this romantic notion that I'll get my family to have some fun during the holidays with the Wii. Every year we eat too much, and are too exhausted after opening presents to think about doing anything other than going to sleep. The day after, however, Nikki and I put Wii Music in and began to explore for ourselves this source of some disagreement among video game writers.

My first brush with the naysayers came in the form of the IGN review, which gives Wii Music a feeble 5 out of 10, and bluntly warns with "Our condolences to the two-and-a-half million people who buy this game." Frankly, I don't agree with much of what is denounced in the article, and choose to disregard it. I would later find one of my favorite gaming blogs, The Brainy Gamer, to be also somewhat skeptical. Michael Abbott focuses on the question of "Why does Wii Music contain unlockables?" as the main point of contention in his writeup. His argument revolves around the lack of necessity for such a mechanism with the game's target demographic being a considerably younger audience.

That may be true, but as J.C. Rodrigo points out in the video above, this game is equally suitable for an older audience who appreciates music. I'd like to think of myself as part of that group, and I frankly don't care about the issue of unlocking content, or how little kids might perceive that attribute. That being said, I did experience a moment or two of confusion because of this feature. After first playing the small selection of instruments and songs, I soon realized that just doing that didn't unlock anything. Proceeding onto the mini-games and lessons, a few things were unlocked, but those resources were quickly exhausted as well, and I still had very little content to work with. The misunderstanding arises because the game does not initially tell you in explicit terms what you must do to unlock more content, being the recording of your jam sessions, and saving the videos.

Since most of our first attempts were pretty bad, we didn't bother saving them. I didn't think there would be a point in saving every single botched performance, and I certainly didn't want to be replaying the memories of such failures. Eventually, I got better, and decided to save it. Suddenly, the conductor pops up and says something about "oh and you should save more videos because they'll unlock more stuff!" Now he tells me! Well, better late than never I suppose.

After that it was pretty smooth sailing. The song library got bigger, the instrument repertoire did too, and lessons galore were unlocked. I started to play a bit more on my own, and learned how to use what I consider is the best part of Wii Music: over-dubbing. This subtly disguised feature is the key to the game's hidden depth and fun factor. The ability to make original arrangements of songs, in whatever musical style desired, is where the real strength of this title becomes visible.

Some time ago, The Brainy Gamer commented on Spore. Another game which got mixed reviews, some dismissed Spore for being too simple. This started a lengthy discussion, in which blogger Leigh Alexander made an excellent point about the judging of complexity and depth in games [via The Brainy Gamer]:

I have noticed lately that the primary reason some major titles -- Spore, for example -- have suffered in reviews is because they lack complexity in certain areas of the design; "complexity" is often substituted for "depth."... I wonder, from what perspective are reviewers judging complexity, in the broader sense? Are we talking about controls, the sophistication of the game mechanics, the game's length, its plot, characters, what? ... It's got me wondering -- why has simplicity become a dirty word, and why does an absence of complexity seem to translate automatically, in reviews, to a lack of depth? [link]

Seems to me that the same error has been made in a rush to judgement against Wii Music. Somehow the lack of eye-popping, adrenaline-inducing, and seizure-triggering action-mechanics has left mainstream reviewers of the game in a state of "meh." That's fine, but it doesn't mean that we all feel this way. One writer that seems to be in my camp is Stephen Totilo over at MTV's Multiplayer blog. He too felt somewhat unsure at first, but soon enough found the joys of sticking it out with Wii Music and learning it's intricacies, in a post aptly titled "I Think I Finally Get It," [link].

The bottom line is that Wii Music doesn't use the traditional mechanics of goals and rewards that we have become used to in games. There's no score, and you can't really fail. The judgement of failure is entirely yours, and in a way, so are the rewards. It's the same as why any of us should choose to play an instrument, since doing so doesn't get us tangible effects in itself. Totillo writes "This isn’t the kind of game that I see myself playing to win. But I’m driven right now by an oddly distinct goal: to make what I play sound better, and to hope against hope that I have the musical skills to keep up." What a novel idea. Play the game because it brings about enjoyment, and not on account of some masochistic reward-and-punishement mechanic (see Mighty Jill Off).

During the time when Steam was having its holiday sale, and when I also purchased Audiosurf, I found myself unable to pass up Aquaria. Since its release in December of 2007, I had been meaning to get this game. It made quite a lot of headlines back then, with it being an indie release. Not only that, but it was developed entirely by a team of two people. That in itself isn't unusual for an indie, but it isn't often that we see a result of this quality and magnitude.

Derek Yu's visuals are one of the things that make this game. While the mechanics are solid, it's the artistic direction that serves in large part to distinguish this title from others of its kind. And by others, I am referring primarily to the Metroid and Ecco franchises, yet we should also consider that Cave Story was probably some inspiration here as well. Truth be told, while playing Aquaria I often had moments of thinking how much this game reminded me of Super Metroid. I would say that this was primarily due to the tiled graphics and ambient audio. However, considering that Aquaria was created with a fraction of the Metroid team's manpower makes me have a lot more respect for this game than any Nintendo title.

It's true that I am somewhat biased these days. My interests have shifted over the years from mainstream commercial games to the indie scene. I somewhat regret that I haven't stayed as active there as I was a couple of years ago, around the time that I was contributing to Indygamer (now the Indie Games Blog) and working on Copic Fighter. After that, I got a "real job" and began to focus more heavily on my art again. But I digress. The point is, that I became disillusioned with commercial games and decided to follow the independent gaming scene. So it should come as no surprise that I'd be fond of Aquaria.

This game is of epic proportions, and yet it is concise enough so that someone with limited free time such as myself can get through it. I think I managed to finish this in a about 25 hours, but would have done so faster if I hadn't taken my time to get all the extras. For those who know me, saying that I actually finished a game is enough of a statement in itself!

I could go into detail about how great the hand-drawn art is, and how beautiful the music is, or how enjoyable the mechanics make this game to play and explore. But I doubt I could say anything that hasn't been said already. In the end, this is just a really good game. A solid indie title that rivals any exploration "platformer" out there, and knowing that a purchase of this game supports innovation and change in a stagnant video game industry is even stronger incentive to give it a go. Grab it on Steam and enjoy this gem. Something that comes along so rarely these days.

Over the holidays I decided to grab another little indie title called Audiosurf. I couldn't resist the special they were having on Steam and decided to get it while the deal lasted. I had played the demo before and already knew I enjoyed the game, but having the full version's features made it that much better.

Audiosurf is an interesting hybrid of three different genres. Part music & rhythm game, part puzzle game, and part racing game, make for a very unique concept. Though it may sound like a bit of chaos when you think about putting those three play mechanics together, Audiosurf does manage to pull it off with surprising ease. The best part of this game, however, has got to be the personalization aspect of the play experience.

Audiosurf will use your computers music library to generate its tracks. We all have those songs that evoke specific memories or emotions, and when you combine your psychological associations with the visuals and mechanics of this game, the results are rather interesting. In faster paced songs, which are automatically more difficult, a high degree of concentration is required. This may in turn serve to override, or at least ammend, the mind's associated content with the music in question.

In the end, everyone will have a uniquely tailored experience with Audiosurf based on their music library. That is what makes this game immediately exciting, because of wanting to see how your favorite songs will "play." For those with sufficient levels of awareness, the mental effects of these experiences are also worth some consideration.

The Temple of the Ancients in Final Fantasy VII was where the plot really started to pick up, and you got a heavy dose of story from the game. Upon entering, it turned out that Sephiroth had already arrived. No big surprise there, as he was always one step ahead it seems. On account of Caith Sith, Tseng was also there, though he had been injured by Sephiroth.

Aeris told Tseng that there never was a chance of Shinra winning, which only echoed the fact that you knew your side would prevail at the end of the game. That, I don't think anyone ever questions in any Final Fantasy game, with the formula rarely diverging from the standard good-prevails-over-evil scenario. Back in possession of the Keystone, I made my way into the temple. It was a maze-like structure heavily reminiscent of an M.C. Escher drawing with stairs going every which way. Although it was not nearly as complicated to navigate as it first appeared. Several obstacles were presented which provided a little challenge, though not that much really, and the characters eventually caught up with their fate. That is to say, they found Sephiroth in one of the chambers where he predictably divulged his plan for world domination. Given his power however, it wasn't exactly out of character.

One boss fight later, it just so happened that the temple had to be shrunk, as it itself was the Black Materia required to move the story forward. This was where Cait Sith had his moment of redemption, and the melody playing along with his sacrifice managed to create sympathy for the character after all. Your party escaped the structure, and in its place remained a sizable crater. Things were going rather well, but it wouldn't have been FFVII if Sephiroth didn't reappear to spoil the fun. His control over Cloud yielded him the Black Materia, and he disappeared just as suddenly as he appeared in the first place.

Cloud was aghast at the knowledge of his actions. He suddenly lost it again, and assaulted poor Aeris as your third party member jumped in to break things up. So many things happened all at once, that it was all in effect a little hard to take in. Right then, Cait Sith came out of nowhere (or more precisely Cait Sith 2), in his usual nonchalant manner.



I found myself feeling multiple conflicting emotions at the sight of such unpredictable turns of events. Fortunately, the game changed pace right then. A dream, or vision, was presented in the Sleeping Forest which served as respite from the hectic plot twists of the last section. I would say that this was perhaps to the game's discredit—that the story moved at such a sporadic pace. You would go through long stretches of monotony with little plot, only to be thrust into a barrage of events. It was rather inconsistent, to be sure, and not simply because of my choice to pursue side quests.

Nevertheless, the Sleeping Forest scene was a rather pleasant change, and served to provide some perspective on the recent happenings. Cloud apologized for his loss of control, but Aeris wasn't too concerned about it and let him know that she planned on stopping Sephiroth on her own. She sprinted away in a classic dreamlike moment of the dreamer, Cloud, running slowly in place. As she vanished into the distance, Cloud was visited by Sephiroth even here. Though the encounter was still rather amicable, with Sephiroth's tone suggestive of his old friendship with Cloud, his parting words are “we must stop that girl soon.”

The obvious foreshadow here was that Cloud would be yet again forced to do something against his will. But right then, he simply woke up having lost all his courage. Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, his little breakdown was soon diminished by the support of Tifa and Barrett with a the-show-must-go-on moment. Clearly there was no time to loose, and so your party made its way to the actual Sleeping Forest and the City of the Ancients beyond it.



I found the atmosphere in the City of the Ancients, also known as the Forgotten Capital, to be appropriately eerie. The music had an ethereal mood, and the whole place was naturally deserted. The city's design was rather interesting, a cross between Anasazi cliff-dwellings, giant fantasy shell houses, and classic European inspired fantasy architecture. A strange mix, to be sure. Nevertheless, it seemed to work, though a little more consistency there might have been nice too. After exploring the deserted city, it was time to go down to into its bowels, where one of the most iconic scenes of video gaming history would take place.

My guess is that there are few people out there who don't know what was about to happen next. I suppose I'm going to explain anyway. As cloud went up to Aeris, he lost control of himself again. In an interesting plot device, the player was given limited control over Cloud. You could only move his upper body, and even that only in limited ways. It was one of those moments where I wasn't sure at first if I was doing something wrong, but then realized that I was gradually loosing control over Cloud. Finally his sword went up and, against his better judgement, he was about strike at Aeris. Your party members saved him from committing that fatal mistake, but to no avail.



Sephiroth descended from above as an angel of death and impaled Aeris upon his sword. I daresay that this iconic scene had gamers across the world in shock. I admit that I wasn't sure how I was going to receive this moment with having witnessed it already a few years ago. But I confess that it lost none of its strength and touched me deeply. This was probably helped by the fact that I spent so much time with Aeris in my party, and as intended did become more attached to her as a result. Seeing her die at the rival's hands was powerfully emotional, and as I watched Cloud release her body into the pool, finishing the last moments of Disc 1 was all I could do. I found myself needing to break from the game and sort out my thoughts.

In a way, as most people initial reactions, a part of me wanted to ask the question “why.” A simple reaction, and perhaps the first thing we think of when a character dies in a story. It seemes rather senseless at the time, and the purpose of it eludes us. Another part of me realized how involving a characters death is for those experiencing a story, and how few games use such a plot device these days. So few games choose to kill one of the central figures in a game, and even fewer do so in a way that doesn't seem gimmicky. Which begs the question whether Final Fantasy VII did so as a gimmick or not. My answer would be that Aeris dying changed a lot for the remaining characters, and seemed to serves as a major point of change for Cloud.

Speaking of Cloud, I found the question of his fate was also critical to the story of FFVII. His identity remained a mystery for much of the game, and the fact that he was a puppet, continually playing into the hand of Sephiroth also generated sympathy for his character in my case. Even when success in the quest as a whole seemed to be forthcoming, as I battled tougher and tougher bosses, nothing we did appeared to be of particularly great consequence against the machine which Sephiroth had devised.

With the important events of Cosmo Canyon behind me, I continued on towards Nibelheim. Revisiting this pivotal place was clearly strange with the fact that the town still stands. As the party wondered why Nibelheim wasn't in ashes, I spent my time getting the optional parts here, such as adding Vincent to my roster of characters.

Heading through Mount Nibel made it feel like there should have been something happening there, some part of the plot. Or at least the characters reacting to being back in a place where such pivotal events occurred before, so it was a little disappointing to go into the old mako reactor without any words from Cloud or Tifa. Seeing as how you could look around but nothing else of interest remained, I pressed on past the mountains and towards Rocket Town.



An interesting bit of side-story followed with Rufus showing up to commandeer the Tiny Bronco, as well as Cid's backstory to it. Though that was mostly all at this stage, “interesting.” It didn't cross the line to exciting really, except for maybe just a little during the video of the escape. Okay, I admit that was fun, even if the other parts in Rocket Town were just so-so. Altogether, things went by fairly quickly, which made this chapter feel more like a footnote in the greater scheme of things.

That is not to say, however, that having the Tiny Bronco itself was of no consequence. Because it was actually quite important, as it allowed you to access parts of the world that were inaccessible before. The most notable of these was the island that Yuffie calls home. An entirely optional part, Wutai was the side-quest tied to that character. Seeing as how I was going for anything of importance in this play-through, I headed out to Wutai to try my luck.



I don't think that I played this part the first time through Final Fantasy VII, but I may have. Either way I didn't remember it. So the events felt quite new to me, and Yuffie's shenanigans of stealing our materia meant that I had to commit to the side-quest. In for a penny, in for a pound, as they say. I got through running after Yuffie and even doing the pagoda without problems. Though not integral to the main plot, the events were amusing and served to develop Yuffie's character further. And with that behind me, I was eager to get back to the main story and finally get some more plot.

This is where it got more interesting on Disc 1. Although it could be a little tricky to figure out exactly where to go next, the big clue was at the lone house on the point not far from the Gold Saucer. The man inside said he just sold the Keystone, and that's what you needed to go after. Apparently Dio decided to add it to his collection, but Shinra and Sephiroth were after it too. So off to the Gold Saucer we went, and after talking to Dio it was time for some battles. This part was actually fairly challenging, and I had to retry several times. I kept getting killed before beating the last enemy, and that wasn't acceptable since I had to get those extra items.

The section between Rocket Town and returning to the Gold Saucer felt very disconnected. There was very little to actually tell you where to go next, and knowing the next clue's location was only due to my previously acquired knowledge. As I recall, however, the first time around I fumbled along the coasts to find something for quite a while. I think this could have been designed a little better to facilitate smoother progression for the player. Unless of course Square intended for you to explore the world with the Tiny Bronco and talk to random people in random places and eventually stumble onto the right bit of info. That is a distinct possibility.

More importantly, however, after obtaining the Keystone it was not possible to leave the Gold Saucer just yet. So the party decided to go to the inn, and Cloud did a little recap of where we stood. Nothing special there. While Cloud was up in his room however, Aeris paid him a visit. This was one of the key moments of the game as far as I'm concerned, as Aeris told cloud that he was about to go on a date with her. Not “asked” him on a date, mind you, but “told.” The ever-opposite-of-smooth Cloud was taken rather by surprise, but naturally had little choice in the matter.



These events were key to Aeris' character. She divulged a little more information about her mystery boyfriend from the past, and how Cloud was so much like him. But again, no details, so you still didn't know who he was really. A nice video of the gondola ride around the Gold Saucer ensued, and the date was going smashingly. That is, until I ran across Cait Sith stealing the Keystone. Of course, you couldn't just forget about it, so the cat-and-mouse chase was on. After following the thief through a few different areas, clearly the whole thing was meant to be easy, the romantic couple caught up with Cait Sith and put him through the ringer. Turns out he was the spy all along, and was working for Shinra. The weird body was just a puppet/robot being controlled by some unknown entity, and you had no choice but to go along with the charade as they got to Aeris' mother and Marlene. So the plot thickened.

We retired to the inn, and the next day it was time to make our way to the Temple of the Ancients. So far, I had kept Aeris in my party for the entire game. I wanted to level her up as much as possible, and even went so far as to get her final Limit Break. It was important to do this in terms of gameplay I thought, which got you as much from her character as possible, but also I thought it important for the story. In anticipation of what was to come, I wanted to facilitate my attachment to Aeris. Spending so much time with her in my party made her a much more permanent fixture in my FFVII universe.

Going into this experience with determination, flexibility, and an open mind, I hoped to have an enjoyable experience playing Final Fantasy VII again. Or perhaps more appropriately, really playing it for the first time. I made up my mind not to rush things, and to take my time with getting as much as possible. I was not going for a perfect game, and I cannot even conceive of the hours required for such an endeavor, not to mention that I see no fun in that at all. Nevertheless, I tried to do as many of the optional parts as possible.

The first parts of the game in Midgar felt a bit slow. Not sure if I was really enjoying it there through all of it. Maybe it's because I had seen those parts more than others, with them being at the beginning and easy to get to. Getting out of Midgar was actually a little exciting though, and I had Nikki there with me watching most of those scenes. Afterward, I felt a little relief when I hit the world map, and events progressed a bit more smoothly. I admit to having spent a little time with the Midgar Zolom to get Beta, which was a challenge this early in the game. Therefrom our quest for Sephiroth picked up the pace, and we continued past Junon Harbor and onto the other continent. The occasional Fort Condor battles did get a little annoying, but I continued on towards the Gold Saucer.



That's when I lost a little bit of interest. I wanted to do two things. One, get the lifetime pass to Gold Saucer, and two, win enough battles at the Battle Square to get the Championship Belt. At that point in the game, getting that much gil takes some time, but I did it anyway. The bigger hurdle was getting enough GP at the tedious Wonder Square to fight enough battles at the Battle Square. All of which is of course intended to gain the required Battle Points for the materia and Championship Belt. Seems awfully roundabout, and because of this tediousness I stopped playing for a little while.

Eventually I just bit the bullet and played enough basketball to win a bunch of GP and do all the rest. Finally I was free to move on, and I continued the quest toward the latter portions of Disc 1. Before that, however, there was still Cosmo Canyon. One of the more interesting areas of FFVII, the story elements there develop Red XIII's character rather well, and the scene in the Cave of the Gi was excellent.



Though I might have personal difficulties in relating with father/son relationships, the scene between Red and his petrified father, Seto, was very moving. Even in it's relatively low tech presentation, the emotional elements of the scene were still conveyed very effectively, I thought. The overall plot arc of Red XIII and the misconceptions around his father's departure did however strike a chord with me, and finding out the truth served as good incentive in that side story.

Final Fantasy. The name itself has so much meaning for gamers. It has grown into an icon of the industry, and has inspired people to discuss its significance and create fan-works. Some people hate Final Fantasy games, though more people probably love them. Regardless of personal feelings for the franchise, there are certain Final Fantasy games that have more significance than others. One of those in particular is Final Fantasy VII, and whatever fervent opinions it might draw out, it is difficult to dispute its status in video gaming history.

I have played almost all Final Fantasy games. Some of them only for a short time, and several new iterations not at all. Even so, having once been an ardent RPG'er I must reluctantly admit that I have unto this day not finished a single Final Fantasy game, save for my introduction to them on the Game Boy (Final Fantasy Adventure). Several of them I managed to get quite far into, only to inexplicably stop playing shortly before the end. But my biggest regret was never having finished Final Fantasy VII. I think what made me loose my motivation with that game was the powerful events surrounding Aeris' demise.



With the FFVII franchise being revitalized by Advent Children and a couple of games set in that universe, I began to think about the game again. Then, a few months ago I saw Last Order, an animated short that revealed information to me I didn't know up to that point. It got me thinking more about the game, and at last I made the decision to start playing it. Knowing my tendency to loose interest in games when they start to drag out, I resolved to persevere with FFVII and finish it for the first time.

My intentions here are much more than a simple rekindling of interest in the franchise as a result of Square's marketing efforts. It might have been sparked by that, sure, but the fact that the game is so iconic is what makes me want to examine it from a different perspective. The initial success of Final Fantasy VII can be attributed not only to its fan-base, but in large part due to the sheer novelty of the game itself. At the time of its release, the technology was some of the best we had seen. Graphically, FFVII made a leap forward with beautiful CG cutscenes, and real-time 3D battle animations that were very impressive. The graphical polish of all Final Fantasy games has been influenced by the style introduced in FFVII, with subsequent games always delivering some of the best visual art possible on the home console.

These factors, combined with Square's marketing push for the game, made Final Fantasy VII one of the most popular role-playing games of all time. Consequently, it was many people's first introduction to role-playing console games, which only contributed to cementing FFVII's place in history. I know I was certainly impressed by it at the time. This is why I felt it even more important to play the game again now. I have had years of time to distance myself from the novelty factor of the game, have gained a lot of perspective as a result.

Setting out to play it this time, I was certainly not going to be blown away by its graphical achievements. Nor was I going to be impressed by FFVII because it's the first RPG I am playing. With those superficial elements aside, I could focus on its deeper significance. That is assuming, of course, that there was any such deeper significance to be found. Going into this experience I was hoping to focus on plot, character development, and whatever greater meaning I might glean from the message presented by Final Fantasy VII. In short, I wanted to get at the real meat of the game that would have probably escaped me all those years ago.

At last I managed to get my hands on a copy of Scrapland. And cheap too, what with it having been out for a few years an all. More likely than not, there will be very few people out there who even know this game at all. So let me enlighten you, if ever so slightly.

Scrapland is the second game to be produced by Amerian McGee. His debut title American McGee's Alice got a lot of people's attention. It was an excellent game, which put a different twist on the classic fairytale, and targeted an older audience. Besides, who wouldn't want to run around as a goth rendition of Alice with a giant butcher knife hacking up card soldiers. The voice acting in Alice gave the game that final polish, where the Cheshire Cat's emaciated look was completed by a low and devious rumbling voice. In all, it was a fresh and unique game.

That's all well and good, but we're here to talk about Scrapland. After Alice, the designer in question put out another title under the name of American McGee's Scrapland. Like Clive Barker, McGee seems determined to forever plaster his name into every title he produces, for better or worse. My expectations were fairly high after the success of Alice, and I was looking forward to a scifi themed game from this creator. Here's what the official Scrapland website promises in this title:

SCRAPLAND is a third person action-adventure game set in a stunningly beautiful and futuristic world occupied by an amazing array of robotic characters. The play experience is driven by a solidly engaging, sometimes humorous adventure narrative. The game mechanic combines proven GTA3 style emergent action with an immersive storyline, diversity of player actions, and complete freedom of movement through the world. Throughout the game the player can: transform into any of 15 character types inheriting unique abilities, build and pilot ships with hundreds of permutations, engage in explosive combat, participate in life-on-the-line races, and freely explore a truly dynamic and living world.

Wow! That sounds incredible doesn't it? I mean, with this paragraph I'm visualizing a whole Gothic/Morrowind/GTA style game, but in a scifi setting and with nothing but robots! Seriously, who wouldn't want to play something like that.

At this point you've probably noticed the slight tinge of sarcasm in my words, and I confess it's true. It would be rather difficult to deliver on what that paragraph promises. Perhaps not overly so if you're Bethesda, or Piranha Bytes, or even Rockstar for the sake of consistency. The thing is, that Alice was developed by Rogue Software which was in large part an offspring of ID Software. That's some good game making muscle there, yet Scrapland's development was apparently handled by Enlight. That company created one other McGee game thus far, Bad Day L.A., which has a terrible IGN rating of 2.7.



All of which adds up to the high possibility that Scrapland is just an awful game, doesn't it? Well, that's not entirely it either. It's just that it promises one thing, and delivers another. That's really the issue here. It made me think that it had this awesome free-roaming and expansive, not to mention immersing, world that I could have a lot of fun in. Then it only gave me parts of that, and not even in the way that I expected. That is perhaps the real crux of the matter: my expectations. As I noted above, I was basically thinking I'd get Gothic but with robots. I doubted I would find the grand scale of Morrowind in this, which is why I figured a more tightly knit experience like those of the Gothic series might be comparable.

What the game is really about though, is more honestly depicted on the back cover of the jewel case the game comes in: "Diverse game world. Combat and racing. Dynamic characters. Multiplayer Intensity." I really don't know about the dynamic characters part, but the rest is pretty much on. In fact, the greater emphasis in this game is on the action, or the "combat and racing" part. So much so, that it becomes incredibly repetitive, where you keep on having to complete virtually the same objectives over and over again. The whole game, you run around shooting at enemies, killing robots in a handful of different ways, and racing and acquiring ship plans. Every mission is just "get me these plans," or "kill this robot," or "beat this robot in a race." That's pretty much all there is to Scrapland.

Okay, maybe not all there is to Scrapland, just most of what there is. The good parts are that there is a big world, and you do get a wide variety of robots to change into. Those things would have been fun, if there there was a greater need for them. The size of the world serves very little purpose, other than providing you with an arena for combat. Unlike other free-form adventure games mentioned above, there is very little that exploration of Scrapland's world gets you. There seems to be nothing of sidequests and choose-your-own-adventure in this game. It's about as linear as you can get, which brings me to reiterate how unnecessary the this pretense of a large "diverse" game world is.

Still, the one thing that truly shines in this game is visual design. Environmental and character design in this game is beautiful, clever, and even verges on brilliant at times. This element might be what really hooked me on Scrapland's promise initially. With a main character named "D-Tritus," I was expecting cleverness by the bucket loads. Another brilliant bit of design is the Temple area. Floors in the Temple do not exist, which might make you think that you'll just fall through when you step into the emptiness, yet as soon as you move forward, transparent tiles appear below your characters feet. How appropriate for the Temple, where you must walk forward based on faith!



The story itself, which is really what would hold all of the good elements of the game together, and make up for the bad ones, certainly deserves a closer look. The hook is its film noir style murder mystery plot. The fumble is its repetitive and very un-dynamic character development. To be quite frank, I was profoundly disinterested in the characters and their plight. The reason which I believe is the cause of all this, is that you simply don't get to interact with the characters enough to learn more about them. It's all about "the mission at hand" interaction, and no further development which might give these characters any semblance of depth.

As I look back at this post, I realize to my disappointment that it has turned into somewhat of a rant. I apologize for that. Nevertheless, maybe this is a testament to just how much I cared about this game. I wanted it to be so much more, and it could have been. Had the focus been taken more into character development, more into the motivations of these characters, things could have turned out quite differently. Some side quests could have been beneficial, very much so in fact. Having to acquire the ability to turn into specific robots could have been tied in very nicely into mission objectives, as opposed to giving access to all robots right of the bat. More diversity, and less combat and repetition, and this game could have been truly great.

Ultimately, I think that people with a greater penchant for action might enjoy this title more than I did. I suppose it's more my fault for wanting depth from what turned out to be an action oriented game. Even so, the action just got old. I think it's bound to, and when it does there isn't much of a narrative to fall back on. Even if the game looks very good, the names awfully clever, and the environmental design is quite brilliant and sometimes a little tongue-in-cheek, it still isn't enough if the story doesn't hold it together. Who knows, maybe American McGee's Grimm will bring back the quality we saw in Alice.

This holiday season I was very fortunate to receive a Wii. Much as many others out there, I had been wanting this amazing little unit ever since it came out. The fact that it's the most affordable of all three next-gen systems does make it more appealing, though it's high demand means that you're lucky to find one anywhere. Especially for Christmas. Now that the holidays are behind us, we can only hope that supply will begin to catch up with the demand.

I have read and heard many wonderful stories about the Wii of course. Yet I must say, that nothing really compares to trying it out first hand. When it comes to the exciting new control method that is the Wii Remote, playing is believing. Though right now our library is limited, with three titles including the obligatory Wii Sports, as well as Wii Play and Cooking Mama, it suffices in generating excitement about this new technology.


We must have spend pretty much all of Christmas day playing the Wii, and that's just with the first two games as we got Cooking Mama more recently. The first thing I noticed is just how strange it felt to be moving this much while playing a game! Sure I've played my share of Guitar Hero and DDR, but this is rather different. These are not rhythm games, so it's a new experience all together. Some of Wii Sports is fairly leisurely, but other parts of it, such as Tennis, Baseball, and Boxing are much more physically intense. At one point after three rounds of Boxing I started to actually break a sweat. Awesome.

The original idea was to set up the Wii on Christmas Eve and subject the rest of my family to its hypnotic powers, but it just didn't happen. I pleaded, but my family just wasn't into it at all. Plus it was late and everybody was tired. Oh well. So I yet have to convince them of just how great this piece of equipment really is. Since the move,there hasn't been any time to arrange a get-together, but I hope to remedy this in the coming months.


So yes, the Wii is excellent for getting you more physically engaged with its games, and yes it is also fairly intuitive to pick up thanks to the Wii Remote controller. However, I find there is one other aspect of this console that makes it smarter than other consoles. Beyond playing games, the main menu on the Wii is arranged into "channels." Two channels in particular caught my interest. Aside from your Mii Channel, Photo Channel, and the Shop Channel you also have a Forecast Channel and a News Channel. The latter both get the most current information off the net, and I found myself spending a bit of time with both.


When you access these channels, you have the capability of spinning the globe by holding and the dragging on the map next to your particular news or weather item on screen. This essentially provides several functions. For one, as the article or weather item fades away, you are left with an interactive globe which is just fun for a quick geography lesson (and even a little star gazing!). Consequently you can check the weather in most other places in the world, which is in fact of particular interest to me. And finally, when in the News Channel, you can see various articles placed on the globe to read wherever you're looking. So if I'm spinning the globe towards Asia, and I see some articles piled up in Japan, I get curious as to what's going on over there and generally read some of them.


Yes, these are all very simple devices, and you can certainly access all of that information and more online. Still, this intuitive visual model of information around the world brings the element of curiosity into play the way that using Google does not. I suspect that this may be particularly useful for a younger audience. Perhaps it will help to make Wii users around the world more informed as to what's going on globally. I don't know, but I think the potential is there. Besides, one can always hope.

Ultimately, I am very much a fan of the Wii. I think it has opened the door for a multitude of applications that are unconventional and innovative which we have but only glimpsed the beginning of. Is the Wii going to save the world? No not really. Will it help to make the world a better place? Well, maybe. Is it going to revolutionize the future of electronic gaming? Absolutely.

Many years ago I played System Shock 2 and had one of those fundamental gaming experiences. To quote from a previous post, it went something like this:


Some time after that I came across the announcement that BioShock was in the works. This got me both excited and apprehensive as a result. I posted again, voicing my concern for the fact that I may yet again be unable to stop playing this game, SS2's spiritual sequel, and be entirely frightened throughout the whole experience.

In the meantime, a lot of hype was being generated for BioShock because, well because of SS2 of course. SS2 is a bit of a legend in the gaming world, and it raised the bar very very high. So then BioShock came out, and everybody was raving about it, including Nick. His subsequent post didn't help things much.

Eventually I just downloaded the 1.5 GB demo, since I did have a shiny new video card installed and ready to burn some polys. Naturally the demo wasn't all that long, but it was plenty to give you an idea of what the game was all about. It was more than enough to make one thing abundantly clear to me: System Shock 2 it ain't. That is to say, it's pretty much the same game, made pretty, yet stripped of it's difficulty and complexity. Basically, I'd have to agree with most of Ben Croshaw's points in the video above. But he just makes it that much funnier, so watch his review and you'll get the idea.

Maybe it's just that the game didn't live up to all the type, and maybe it just couldn't quite clear the SS2 hurdle the developers so gloriously raised themselves. I suppose that if the game had received minimal advertising it would be the next awesome cult phenomenon, so it might all just be in "the image." Whatever the case me be, I still maintain that if you want the real experience, just go back and play SS2 with all the graphical mods in place. You'll love it, or hate it, or both. But I'd say SS2 is more likely to be worth what they're charging for BioShock, even now, than the latter itself.

Over the last several months, Nifflas' new project has been getting a lot of attention. Not that anyone found this to be a surprise, as the independent gaming community is well aware of his reputation. His previous games, most notably Knytt and Within A Deep Forest, are renowned for their unique style and high quality.

Knytt Stories is the next addition to his portfolio, and we have already previewed and praised it at Indygamer. I personally put WADF at number one in my list of art games, and was happy to receive word from Nifflas in regard to that post. Since then, I was given the opportunity to preview the game itself, and I would like to share my thoughts on it with you.


The most prevalent design element which I see in all of Nifflas' games is minimalism. This does tend to come in varying degrees, but each title that he produces seems to follow the old adage of "less is more." Knytt Stories continues in this vein in all aspects as much as its predecessor, and that is in no small part a contributing factor to its success.


Knytt Art

The art style of Knytt Stories is certainly the first indicator of its minimalist approach. It is after all the first thing that the player sees. The environments in the game are always clean and effective. Clean because of some good spriting work, often foregoing dithering techniques in favor of simple geometric patterns. This is true of most foreground elements, while background elements will more often utilize a monochromatic pallet.


The backgrounds themselves range from either flat colored monochrome scenes, or more subdued and ethereally soft gradations. In all cases, the graphical elements blend together and create a strong interactive composition.

What is also interesting to note is how much attention was paid to lighting in the construction of the environments. Areas which in reality would have limited natural light tend to exhibit more contrast in their color palette. Indoor areas are a good example of this, with the foreground and background colors being further apart in tonal value. On the other hand, outdoor scenes with unobstructed sky share similar colors and have a much softer appearance, almost as if some natural elements like sunlight or fog were washing over the colors to give them such a quality.


In essence, the artwork of Knytt Stories has impressed me even more than that of its predecessor. The simplicity and clean appearance of this game creates a powerful visual composition that is a delight for my eyes. It gradually undulates between gentle and strong colors that lend it just enough of the appropriate emotional quality in each scene. Yet there is never so much going on at once that it becomes occluded.

There is one danger that I have come upon in the game, which is a direct result of such beautifully crafted artwork. Many times as I ventured into an unexplored area I would be so taken by its new visual attributes that I just got lost in it and forgot where I was going. This is part of Knytt Stories' charm for me as an artist. I suppose many gamers won't have such a reaction to it, but some of you may. And allowing yourself to experience the game's art in this way can only enhance your overall enjoyment of it.


Knytt Sounds

The auditory stimulus of Knytt Stories is further proof of its minimalist design ethic. Naturally, all sound effects and music are in the style of electronica which Nifflas is already known for. I would say that much of the music is ambient, with a few exceptions in some areas which are distinctly different in visual style from the rest of the environments in the game.


When the player transitions from the less unconventional areas, if there is such a thing in Knytt Stories, to something like a snowy mountain top or a lava cavern, the music picks up in accordance with this change. Still electronic, it does at times bring in a little flare of Jazz into the mix. In the end, it always comes back to a more minimal and ambient melody or instrumentation.

One of my favorite audible experiences in Knytt has to be the occasional absence of all background music. A few areas will exhibit this, in which case the only sounds left are the pitter-patter of your Knytt's little feet. This, I have to admit, is quite adorable. Like a little church mouse, the Knytt scurries and pounces across the screen.


The reason for why this in particular has such a strong effect is because of that very absence of sound. When you remove elements from a design, whatever elements that are left gain emphasis, and their effect is that much stronger. This remains true throughout the game, as areas where there is little sound serve as a counterpoint for the areas where music does begin to play. Just as Nifflas accomplished this visually, so too the sounds of Knytt undulate in their intensity as you move through the game world. Ultimately, the auditory experience of this game is thoroughly enjoyable, no matter at which point in it's flow you may find yourself. And again there were times where I simply had to stop and listen to the music for a little while on account of its sheer artistry.


Knytt Play

The foundation for gameplay mechanics in Knytt Stories naturally stems from the preceding game, Knytt. At first glance, it behaves much like most platformers. There's running, there's jumping, and there's gravity to make it all work, etc. The primary difference between Knytt's gameplay and that of most of the genre is the ability to climb walls. This sounds very simple, but as I have said already, this is a game of effective simplicity.


This one seemingly minor addition to your available actions changes the way you play the entire game. Unlike a typical platformer, Knytt has you spending about as much time climbing walls and jumping off of them as running on the ground and jumping onto platforms. As such, the games design takes off in this direction with facilitating exploration on both axes. Granted, this is not a novel invention, but it is done in a unique way, because I cannot think of any other 2d platformers which make climbing walls such an integral part of the game (though there may be a few I'm simply not familiar with).

Knytt Stories takes this mechanic a little further by limiting your abilities to perform these actions initially. You start with just being able to walk and jump a little, and you must get powerups that will allow you to run, jump higher, and climb walls. Further additions to your repertoire of skills not present in the original Knytt include a double jump, an umbrella to slow your fall, and an eventual "holographic decoy" generator.


This set of abilities is also not a new invention, but they do complement the traditional gameplay of Knytt wonderfully. Once you obtain these abilities, new dimensions of gameplay become available which you must utilize to explore the game world. As expected, all game mechanics are highly polished and never feel out of place. I think it's easy to take for granted the simplicity of the actions you take in such a game, yet it should be noted that it is because they work so well and are so solid that we do not often notice them.


Knytt Close

Each of the artistic parts of Knytt Stories is certainly admirable in its own right. A screenshot of the game's art is appealing enough to me to hang on my wall at ten times its original size. Its music I will undoubtedly be listening to for months to come, and the gameplay itself is good enough to stand on its own.


However, that is not what games are about. Games are about the totality of all these elements which then culminate in the players experience. It is unfortunate that there are different approaches to experience which then result in the experience being more or less amicable, but such is the nature of things. I would like to propose that there is probably a better way to experience Knytt Stories. It's simple and perhaps an obvious way, but it has the potential of enhancing the game.

It is recommended that the game be played with the best possible audio equipment, and the volume turned up to a clear and audible, but comfortable level. Good quality headphones serve this purpose well. In addition, it has to be played fullscreen, of course. A bigger screen is probably better. Finally, it is important to come to the game with an open mind. To elaborate, if you've been playing WoW and Halo for months, you will probably not enjoy Knytt Stories as much.

The fewer preconceptions you can bring with you the better. Not because your expectations will not be fulfilled, but because this game is a different experience than much of your standard gaming fare. Come to Knytt Stories relaxed. Come to it as you would come to an old friend you have not seen for years, and it will treat you well. If you can manage to do all this, it is unlikely that you will be disappointed.